Wood graining tool

ABSTRACT

The graining surface of a wood graining tool is on a layer of flexible, plastic material. The material is detachably held onto a convexly curved surface on the tool body by interlocking notches and tabs. The graining surface may be removed readily for cleaning or for exchange with another surface having a different graining pattern. The tool handle is reversible to permit use of quarter-sawed patterns and vein patterns on opposite ends of the graining surface material layer.

United States Patent [191 Briggs 1 1 Oct. 29, 1974 WOOD GRAINING TOOL [75] Inventor: Garth Q. Briggs, Springfield, Ohio [73] Assignee: The Murray-Black C0., 1 nc.,

Springfield, Ohio [22] Filed: May 7, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 357,688

[52] 11.8. CI. l5/2l0.5, 15/231 [51] Int. Cl B44d 3/28 [58] Field of Search l5/210.5, 209 AH [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 619,298 2/1899 Gochnaur 15/210.5 1,441,922 1/1923 Gstalder 2,876,476 3/1959 Woods 2,938,223 5/1960 Horowitz 15/209 AH 3,142,082 7/1964 Harwood l5/2l0.5

OTHER PUBLICATIONS The Ridgely Trimmer Company, catalog pages 3739 The Murray-Black C0 catalogue page 17 Primary Examiner Daniel Blum Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Bicbel, French & Bugg [57] ABSTRACT The graining surface of a wood graining tool is on a layer of flexible, plastic material. The material is detachably held onto a convexly curved surface on the tool body by interlocking notches and tabs. The graining surface may be removed readily for cleaning or for exchange with another surface having a different graining pattern. The tool handle is reversible to permit use of quarter-sawed patterns and vein patterns on opposite ends of the graining surface material layer.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures WOOD GRAINING TOOL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Wood graining tools have been well known in the art for a long period of time. The most commonly encountered tools include individual combs and comb combinations for achieving various straight-grain effects. They also include various rollers which produce heartgrain effects. One common such tool uses a generally triangular block of wood having one side convexly curved in an arcuate or cylindrical configuration. A layer of rubber material is nailed or glued onto the convex, arcuate surface. The rubber layer has a corrugated surface thereon which is designed for producing heartgrain effects. At least one such tool includes additional combs on opposite ends of the rubber layer for producing straight-grain effects. For ease in using the latter tool, the tool handle is received in either of two round holes in the flat, back surfaces of the triangular tool body wood block.

Although such tools have been known for years, they have not achieved wide popularity and usage. One reason for the limited appeal of such devices has been the considerable inconvenience and difficulty of cleaning the tools. Until recently, virtually all paint materials used for wood graining were oil base (alkyd) materials. Even with the recently popular water base (latex) materials, it is often necessary to soak the tool for considerable lengths of time to release the paint material from the graining surface corrugations. Even with the soaking period the corrugations must sometimes be cleaned manually. In short, the tools have been too inconvenient and difficult to clean to become popular.

Another shortcoming of the prior art has been the necessity to buy a complete tool for each different surface graining pattern desired. Although such tools are not particularly expensive and therefore no great cost burden for the professional, cost is definitely a discouraging factor for the amateur.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, this invention provides a wood graining tool in which the layer of material, such as rubber or flexible plastic, having the graining surface thereon, is removably attached to the body of the wood graining tool. The layer of material is flexible and iseasily and readily snapped onto and off the curved surface of the tool body simply by slipping notches at either end of the rubber surface over corresponding tabs at each end of the curved surface of the tool body.

Since the working layer is easily removable from the tool, the tool may continue to be used while one surface is soaking in an appropriate cleaning solvent, simply by slipping another surface onto the tool. Further, since the surface is not nailed and/or glued to the tool body, the surface itself may be flexed and manipulated for the release of hardened material trapped in the surface corrugations. Surfaces having different patterns may also be slipped easily onto the tool, making it possible to have a wide variety of patterns available at a minimum of cost.

The tool body itself is made of inexpensive, lightweight, high impact plastic, and has a reversible handle attached thereto so that straight-grain combs may be provided and used in either end of the plastic graining surface material. The tool thus provides an inexpensive, easily cleanable, light-weight wood graining tool which is particularly able to meet the needs of the hobbyist and the do-it-yourself enthusiast.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a wood graining tool having a readily and easily cleanable graining surface; a graining surface which is flexible and readily attachable to and detachable from the body of the wood graining tool; a surface which is easily replaceable and interchangeable on such a tool; a tool in which the removable surface is held in position on the tool body by means of interlocking notches and tabs; a tool having a detachable, reversible handle to enable the use of combed and notched edges on the ends of the removable plastic graining surface layer; a tool which is inexpensive, lightweight, and durable; and to accomplish the above objects and purposes in an attractive, useful configuration which is particularly attractive to and easily useable by persons not skilled in the art of wood graining. v

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the wood graining tool of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded, perspective view of the elements of the wood graining tool;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the assembled wood graining tool; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken generally on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to the drawings, and more particularlyto FIG. 1, there is illustrated the wood graining tool 10 of this invention. Tool 10 includes a body 12, a handle 13, and a removable layer of flexible plastic material 14, such as polyethelene, having a wood graining surface and pattern 15 thereon. The pattern shown on surface 15 is a well known corrugated pattern designed for producing a heart-grain effect, but any desired pattern may be used. A straight or vein comb 16 is attached to one end 17 of the plastic material layer 14, and an edge having projections 18 for producing a quarter-sawed grain pattern is attached to the opposite end 19 of the plastic material layer 14, opposite comb 16. v

The body 12 of tool 10 provides a generally convex cylindrical or arcuate surface 20 around which the plastic material layer 14 is wrapped. Layer 14, having the wood graining surface 15 thereon is retained on the tool body surface 20 by means of tabs 25 at end edges 27 and 29 of surface 20 and corresponding notches 26 at ends 17 and 19 of layer 14. Tabs 25 receive notches 26 thereover and engage therewithin in order to hold the material layer 14 against arcuate surface 20 of the wood graining tool. Since the graining surface material 14 is a flexible plastic material, ends 17 and 19 may easily be flexed to remove layer 14 from the tool body 12 whenever desired. As a result, graining surface 15 is easily removable from the tool at any time for cleaning, as well as for changing to a different surface pattern.

Since the arcuate surface 20 defines an arc of approximately 90, handle 13 is disposed at an angle with respect to body 12 for ease in holding one of edge patterns 16 or 18 in a generally vertical relation with the surface being grained. Reversing means are therefore provided for handle 13 so that each pattern 16 and 18 may easily be used accordingly. The end of handle 13 attached to body 12 is provided with a keyed male member 30 having opposed shorter flanges 31 and opposed longer flanges 32 thereon. Member 30 is received in friction tight relation in a corresponding female slot 35 on body 12 to receive and retain member 30, and hence handle 13, on the tool body 12. Female slot 35 includes opposed shorter slot portions 36 and longer slot portions 37 for receiving shorter and longer flanges 31 and 32 respectively. Thus, handle 13 may be attached readily to body 12 in either of the two opposite positions most convenient for using comb 16 or projections 18.

As may be seen, therefore, this invention has numerous advantages. It may be easily disassembled and readily cleaned. The graining surface may be flexed and manipulated to further facilitate the release of paint materials entrapped therein. Layer l4 embodying surface 15 may be made of any suitable material, and a plastic or synthetic rubber material of approximately 55 durometer hardness has proven quite successful.

Surface 15 may readily be interchanged with other surfaces having different graining patterns, without the cost of purchasing an entire wood graining tool for each pattern desired. The tool may be fabricated by injection molding of the plastic material, further reducing costs while producing a tool of great durability and longevity.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A wood graining tool, comprising:

a. body means having a generally arcuate surface thereon,

b. handle means attached to said body means,

c. graining surface means including a cover layer of flexible material having graining projections thereon, and

d. means removably attaching said graining surface means to said arcuate surface for ready interchange, cleaning, and replacement thereof, said attaching means including outwardly directed, spaced tab means on each of the opposite edges of said arcuate surface and notches on opposite ends of said graining surface means, said tab means receiving said notches thereover and engaging therewithin to hold said graining surface means against said arcuate surface on said graining tool.

2. The tool of claim 1 wherein said cover layer of flexible material is a plastic material of approximately 55 durometer hardness.

3. The tool of claim 1 further comprising means reversibly mounting said handle means on said body means.

4. The tool of claim 3 wherein said handle mounting means includes a keyed male member on one end of said handle and a corresponding keyed female member on said tool body so dimensioned as to receive and retain said male member detachably therein in friction tight relation.

5. A wood graining tool comprising:

a. body means having a generally arcuate surface thereon,

b. outwardly directed, spaced tab means on each of the opposite edges of said arcuate surface,

0. a layer of flexible plastic material having graining projections thereon,

d. notches on opposite ends of said plastic material layer, said tabs receiving said notches thereover and engaging therewithin to hold said layer removably against said arcuate surface on said graining tool,

e. handle means, and

f. means detachably and reversibly mounting said handle means on said body means, said handle mounting means including a keyed male member on one of said handle or said body means and a corresponding keyed female member on the other of said body means or said handle, respectively, so dimensioned as to receive and retain said male member therein in friction tight relation. 

1. A wood graining tool, comprising: a. body means having a generally arcuate surface thereon, b. handle means attached to said body means, c. graining surface means including a cover layer of flexible material having graining projections thereon, and d. means removably attaching said graining surface means to said arcuate surface for ready interchange, cleaning, and replacement thereof, said attaching means including outwardly directed, spaced tab means on each of the opposite edges of said arcuate surface and notches on opposite ends of said graining surface means, said tab means receiving said notches thereover and engaging therewithin to hold said graining surface means against said arcuate surface on said graining tool.
 2. The tool of claim 1 wherein said cover layer of flexible material is a plastic material of approximately 55 durometer hardness.
 3. The tool of claim 1 further comprising means reversibly mounting said handle means on said body means.
 4. The tool of claim 3 wherein said handle mounting means includes a keyed male member on one end of said handle and a corresponding keyed female member on said tool body so dimensioned as to receive and retain said male member detachably therein in friction tight relation.
 5. A wood graining tool comprising: a. body means having a generally arcuate surface thereon, b. outwardly directed, spaced tab means on each of the opposite edges of said arcuate surface, c. a layer of flexible plastic material having graining projections thereon, d. notches on opposite ends of said plastic material layer, said tabs receiving said notches thereover and engaging therewithin to hold said layer removably against said arcuate surface on said graining tool, e. handle means, and f. means detachably and reversibly mounting said handle means on said body means, said handle mounting means including a keyed male member on one of said handle or said body means and a corresponding keyed female member on the other of said body means or said handle, respectively, so dimensioned as to receive and retain said male member therein in friction tight relation. 